Canberra Now: News in 90 seconds for Friday August 11, 2017

The only thing standing between you and the weekend is this annoying Friday, which is meant to be warmer than we've known recently. There was an overnight 'low' of 8 degrees, a top of 15 and mostly sun for the ACT today. It's much the same except for some cloud on Saturday, which will have a low of 2 degrees and a maximum of 14. Then there's a minimum of 1 degree and a high of 16 the next day. Not a bad weekend at all.

What's making news as we're finishing off the week?

Pups mauled

Vanessa Giannasca and her mother Rachael Ali visit their dogs 'Lucky' and 'Lady' at Calwell Vet after they were mauled by three dogs earlier this week. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Vanessa Giannasca and her partner Nicholas Belardo returned home about 1.50pm on Saturday to be greeted by three dogs leaping over her backyard fence into the front yard.

When they went searching for their two pups, Lady and Lucky, they found a horrific scene when they opened the laundry door.

Health service absent

Steven Freeman. Photo: Supplied

An inquest into the death of Indigenous inmate Steven Freeman yesterday heard the Winnunga Aboriginal health service is absent from Canberra's jail months after an independent review said there was a need for its presence.

Freeman, 25, died on May 27, 2016, two days after being admitted to the prison methadone program.

The inquest heard Winnunga's medical director used to come to the jail for two hours a fortnight, but the doctor died in 2011 and negotiations to continue the service faltered.

Advocates unite

Dr Anastasia Powell. Photo: Penny Stephens

Sexual violence academics are uniting to advocate for change in how universities respond to sexual assault and harassment.

RMIT justice and legal studies lecturer Anastasia Powell formed the consortium on the back of the Human Rights Commission's report on sexual violence in university communities, which found one in five students were sexually harassed and 1.6 per cent sexually assaulted in a university setting in 2015 and/or 2016.